15 Okanagan Falls Wines to Try this Spring

Did you know that during the ice age, glaciers up to 3 km thick covered the Okanagan and carved out the valley we love? The retreat of the glaciers left benches covered with fertile soil where many wineries grow their vines. Okanagan Falls, between Penticton and Oliver, I think holds a sweet spot for growing grapes and making wine. It has long warm days and cool nights, which allow the grapes to reach full

ripeness as well as keep their acidity.

The Okanagan Falls Winery Association, consisting of 15 wineries, with 185 hectares of vines, producing 110,000 cases of wines each year, held a tasting recently, which I attended. In the Okanagan Falls area, you can taste quality sparkling, white, and red wines. Here are 15 wines from the tasting that I really enjoyed. Most of the wines are sparkling or white, as I tasted those first, and had a short time to taste any of the red wines.

Liquidity Wines Pinot Gris 2017 – Nice aromatic nose; lime with stone fruit in support. More lime on the palate. Dry with salty minerality. Round with medium plus body and medium acidity. The lime flavour is followed by peaches and some bitterness on the finish. Excellent.

Nighthawk Vineyards Gewürztraminer 2015 – This wine really shocked me as it did not remind me of the standard Gewürztraminer that you may have tried many times before. This one does have a lychee nose, but it is on the palate that you get wowed. The wine is off-dry and round with medium acidity. Honey is the first word I wrote when I tasted this wine, followed by lychee and light peach. I asked if there was any botrytis on the grapes in 2015, but there was not. I think that this patch of soil produces a unique Gewürztraminer.

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Drink Good Wine. That is my motto and I really want to help you drink good wine. What is good wine? That can be a different thing for each people. Food also loves wine so I also cover food and wine pairings and restaurant reviews.
MyWinePal was started by Karl Kliparchuk, WSET. I spent many years with the South World Wine Society as the President and then cellar master. I love to travel around the world, visiting wine regions and sharing my passion for food & wine with you. Come live vicariously through me, and enjoy all my recommended wines.